Memorial Day always feels different when you stop and think about what it actually represents. So many young men and women left home believing they were protecting people they would never even meet. Many never made it back to their families, their spouses, their children, or the lives they were supposed to live.

Today isn’t really about celebration for me. It’s about gratitude. A gratitude for people who carried burdens most of us will never fully understand.

To those who gave their lives in service to this country, thank you. We remember you today, and we owe you more than a holiday ever could.